This disclosure relates to a method of heat treating components, and in particular, components comprising heat treating powder metallurgy processed superalloys.
Powder metallurgy superalloys provide improved damage tolerance, creep resistance, and strength capability to various components, including components for gas turbine engines. The physical characteristics of the superalloy components depend on the microstructure of the components. The microstructure of the components is, in turn, partially dependent on a number of parameters selected during the heat treatment of the components. Heat treatment typically includes one or more stages that require moving the components between various equipment to perform different types of cooling processes. Furthermore, cooling rates of the component during some process steps, such as solution and quenching processes, are difficult to control, thereby leading to microstructural variations.